Rabbits abused in Indiana shipped to Houston to find homes

By Heather Alexander |
February 20, 2014

Jeff Vosseteig with a lion head rabbit, one of 80 brought to Texas after being rescued in Indiana.

Photo By SPCA Texas

A lion head rabbit, one of the former show rabbits rehabilitated and brought to Houston for re-homing

Photo By SPCA Texas

The rabbits arrived at the SPCA of Texas on Sunday morning

Photo By SPCA Texas

The Houston group also contains baby rabbits. Many of the female rabbits were pregnant when they were rescued.

Photo By SPCA Houston

Dumbledore, a three month old lop-earred rabbit up for adoption in Houston

Photo By SPCA Houston

Twist, a three month old French lop-earred rabbit up for adoption in Houston.

Photo By SPCA Houston

Houston SPCA have 20 rabbits that need rehoming after they were rescued in Indianapolis

Photo By SPCA Houston

The rabbits were found in "filthy" conditions by Indianapolis care and control and brought to Houston for re-homing. A total of 216 were rescued.

Twenty rabbits have been shipped to Houston from Indianapolis after animal control found hundreds living in terrible conditions there.

In total, 216 were rescued back in December by Indianapolis Care and Control along with three turtles and a goat. They were all from one home on the south side of the city, according to local TV reports.

Officers told Fox 59 the animals were found living in filthy conditions.

"You can see their feet are becoming matted with urine. Also, the back of their legs are covered in urine from being in lots of feces and urine that wasn't cleaned up," Denise Katz, a veterinarian with Indianapolis Animal Care and Control, told the station.

The owner claimed they had been bred for show and some were pregnant when they were rescued.

After two months of rehab, 80 bunnies were shipped out for re-homing, heading first to the SPCA of Texas in McKinney. They were distributed to shelters across the state, some also traveled to California.

The Houston group arrived on Sunday after a 1,000 mile journey. The group includes babies and adults of six different varieties, French and Dutch lop-eared, lion head, Jersey wooly, French angora, Rhinelander and Silver Martin.

"They are so docile and sweet," Houston SPSCA spokeswoman Meera Nandlal said of two three-month-old French lop-ears. "They're calld Twist and Dumbledore, they are very cute and adorable."